The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1) by John Flanagan - Restarting July 15th 2019

[Noella]

They have always scared him in the past — the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied....

Feel free to join Rachel and I in reading this book!

[rachel, x]

Thanks Noella! :) Do you have just the first book? Or more of the series? :)

[Noella]

I have the first two. If we enjoy it, do you want to read the second in the series straight after/sometime later in the month? :D

[rachel, x]

Noella wrote: "I have the first two. If we enjoy it, do you want to read the second in the series straight after/sometime later in the month? :D"

I have the second one too... and the fourth! I don't know why I don't have the third. I got them for my bday so... Anyway I would love to read the second one. Are you free later in July? Then we can count it in the clean your shelf challenge as well! :)

[Noella]

Yes I haven't planned many BR, you pick a date !

[Noella]

Up to chapter 6
(view spoiler)[This is really interesting so far. Will is an underdog and he will rise to greatness Hehe! Horace will regret teasing him XD. I have a feeling that Will's father is a legend and Will will follow in his footsteps! (hide spoiler)]

[Noella]

End chapter 13(view spoiler)[The book seems to focus on Will and Horace. I have a feeling Horace will become bad from all the bullying he's suffered and his chapters are a glimpse of the road to becoming bad... (hide spoiler)]

[Noella]

End chapter 28
Kind of lost interest towards the middle but looking forward to the 'showdown' near the end
(view spoiler)[I hope Halt doesn't die... (hide spoiler)]

[rachel, x]

Oh shivers, I have forgotten this one. Will read asap. Sorry! :)

[Noella]

Ending thoughts
(view spoiler)[Good introduction to the series. Feel a bit of disconnect to the characters though. Will's friends should have been developed a bit more but the book is quite short so I understand why this didn't happen. (hide spoiler)]

[Noella]

@Rachel
Looking forward to your thoughts about it !

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. Reastarting May 2nd 2015. Happy Reading ☺

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[C.P.]

I'm about to get started with this. :) Meant to last night, but that didn't happen.

[C.P.]

22% (view spoiler)[This is a pretty quick and interesting read. I'm guessing the Rangers are assassins of a sort (that's usually what they are in catastrophe stories) so I wonder where Will will end up.<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

44% (view spoiler)[I like will's training with Halt. I feel like Horace's bullying is going in a bad direction.<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Christina]

Wow you're so fast Courtney (omg sorry I can't believe I typed fat instead of fast lol!!)
Sorry I'm a bit late with this. Chapter 2- (view spoiler)[This is not what I usually read so it took a while to get into it. There's a lot of details! I like the idea of apprentices and craft masters (hide spoiler)]

[Christina]

End of Chapter 6
(view spoiler)[Halt is a mysterious fellow. I wonder what the Rangers do! (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Chapter 23 (view spoiler)[I'm glad that Will and Horace have become friends. And that Halt forced the bullies to have some of their own punishment.<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Chapter 26 (view spoiler)[The Kalkara sound way creepy. I love Halt and Will though. It's just such a nice relationship. And I feel like something is still going to happen with the three bullies. Maybe not in this one, but eventually.<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Christina]

Chapter 16
(view spoiler)[horace was such a jerk for treating his friends that way. He took all that bottled anger on them and it wasn't fair.

Stupid bullies need a lesson (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Ending(view spoiler)[That fight at the ruins if gorlan was intense. And I'm so glad that will chose being a ranger. And Halt's story about his father was perfect. I knew they had to be connected. It was just a perfect ending<\spoiler>

I really want to read the rest of the series now! (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Christina wrote: "Chapter 16

(view spoiler)[I know! I was getting worried here about where things were headed with that...<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Christina]

Chapter 23- (view spoiler)[It was strange how Halt encouraged horace to fight his bullies. I felt a little sorry for them but then again they bullied horace so many times! Good riddance (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Christina wrote: "Chapter 23- [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yeah, they deserved what they got. I feel like they'll probably show up again at some point in the series and cause trouble.<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[Christina]

Courtney wrote: "Christina wrote: "Chapter 23- [spoilers removed]"
[spoilers removed]"

Maybe! I don't think i'll be sticking around the series to know. It's a good story but it's just not holding my attention :(

[C.P.]

I'm not sure when I'll get around to the rest of them. I really liked it though. I think ten years ago I would have loved it.

[Christina]

@Courtney
Ending

(view spoiler)[Yes! I liked how he chose to be a ranger and refused the kind offer. It was a little rude of them in the beginning to refuse him based on his size

Halt & Will's father's story was epic! Will's father is a great man. Will should be so proud (even though he wasn't technically a knight!) (hide spoiler)]

[C.P.]

Christina wrote: "@Courtney
Ending


Yes!

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting July 15th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[Natalie]

Starting c:

[Natalie]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[So much nostalgia with this already, I swear 💕💕 The choosing ceremony, with all the craft masters making a grand entrance - whilst Halt sneaks in through a side door - and the lining up of all the wards in height order with poor Will as last in line.

It has been far too long ;-; (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[I love Will’s initial ‘training’ XD Just doing a bunch of chores such as fetching water, cutting/stacking firewood and maintaining the cabin ;D (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 12: (view spoiler)[Tug’s introductionnnnn 💕💕 I have missed this wonderful horse I swear. (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 16: (view spoiler)[Poor Horace. I know that tings at the academy are terrible for you at the moment, but that’s no reason to take it out on your fellow ward mates - and ESPECIALLY not reason to threaten Tug! (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 22: (view spoiler)[A brutal beating - but nothing less than what those three bullies deserved 😐 Good on you Horace for going to save Will from the same fate that you had literally JUST had! And good on YOU Halt for just being AWESOME and helping out with the whole situation ;D (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Chapter 30: (view spoiler)[Will managed to get Baron Arald and Sir Rodney to the ruins in time to be there when the (remaining) Kalkara was about to kill Halt, which is awesome in and of itself. But then he managed to take out the remaining beast - after it had already beaten all three of them, and was revelling before the final kill - with nothing more than a single flaming arrow. Heck yeah! 😁 (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Finished! (view spoiler)[I’m crying, but they’re happy tears 8’D Will choosing to stay as Halt’s apprentice and choosing to “give up” his childhood dream because he had found his place as a Ranger? And then learning the truth of his father from Halt? 😭😭💕💕 (hide spoiler)]

[Julianne]

Ch 1 (view spoiler)[ choosing ceremonies make me so anxious for the characters!! Especially because Will definitely feels like he wont find anything (hide spoiler)]

[Julianne]

Ch 5 (view spoiler)[ absolutely knew it was a test. They wanted to see if he could really be a ranger (hide spoiler)]

[Julianne]

ch 11 (view spoiler)[ why does Horace adding an extra stroke to the sequence matter (hide spoiler)]

ch 16 (view spoiler)[ Battleschool made Horace a real jerk. but imagining Tug bucking him off is hilarious (hide spoiler)]

ch 24 (view spoiler)[ talking about the kalkara makes me think of manbearpig (hide spoiler)]

finished (view spoiler)[ oh that's nice that Halt told Will about his dad! this book was actually a really quick read, but I really liked it! I don't know where the series will go, though (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! :D